Portable support seat



g- 5, 1952 L. CRAIG-WALLACE PORTABLE SUPPORT SEAT Filed May 26, 1951 FIGS IN VEN TOR.

ATTORN EY Patented Aug. 5, 1952 UNITED STATE S PATENT OFFICE PORTABLE SUPPORT SEAT Lauretta Craig-Wallace, Newport, It. 1.

Application May 26, 1951, Serial No. 228,395

2 Claims.

The present invention relates to supporting seats, and has particular reference to a portable seat arrangement.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a light weight portable seat which firmly supports the back of a sitter.

Another object of the invention is to provide a light weight portable seat made of foldable material-for facilitating transportation and storage.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a support seat made of cloth or similar foldable material.

With the above and other objects and advantageous features in view, the invention consists of a novel arrangement of parts more fully disclosed in the detailed description following, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, and more specifically defined in the claims appended thereto.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a partial front view thereof, with the parts in folded relation;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section on the line 3--3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the portable seat folded for carrying;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the seat body blank; and

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the side piece blank therefor.

It has been found desirable to provide a light weight portable seat which may be folded for carrying or storage, and which when unfolded provides a seat which firmly supports the back of a sitter, whereby the seat may be used for persons having weak backs, as with sacro-iliac pains, and for persons who need a back support when sitting up in bed, on the beach, or when sitting on planks such as are common in base ball diamonds, foot ball stadiums, and the like. To this end, I provide a seat made of cloth or similar material, having a base panel, sides, and a back panel, the parts being arranged so that the act of sitting forces the back panel into position for yieldingly but firmly supporting the back of the sitter.

Referring to the drawings, the portable seat III includes a base panel II, sides I2, I3, and a rear panel I4, the rear panel having tie strings I5 secured thereto and a carrying strap or cord I6 secured thereto as illustrated. The base panel II is generally trapezoidal in shape, with a wide 2 front edge I1, rearwardly inwardly inclined side edges l8, I9, and a rear edge 20 of less length than the front edge H.

The sides I2, I3 are each triangular in shape, and have a central take-up as by overlap folds 2|, 22 which are stitched to provide a central overlap for greater bulge or spread, it being preferred to have the rear edge 23 of each side at substantially sixty degrees to the front edge 24 of each side. The rear panel I4 is generally trapezoidal in form, its loweredge 25 coinciding with the rear edge 20 of the base panel, its side edges 26, 21 diverging outwardly, and its upper edge 28 being of greater length than the front edge I! of the base panel.

The front edges 24 of the sides I2, I3 are sewed or otherwise secured to the side edges I8, I9 of the base panel, and the rear edges 23 of the sides I2, I3 are sewed or otherwise secured to the side edges 26, 21 of the rear panel, it being preferred to insert reinforcing stiifener elements 23 in the joined edges, which are preferably arcuate and may be of split bamboo, metal, plastic or the like, as illustrated in Fig. 3 which discloses the rear panel mate-rial wound around the stifiener bar,

' the side material folded over, and the parts stitched together by stitches 30, 3|.

It is preferred to form the base panel and the rear panel in one piece of an hour-glass shape to give proper back support, as shown in the blank 32 of Fig. 5, the blanks 33, see Fig. 6, for the sides being generally triangular.

The base panel, rear panel and sides being made of cloth or flexible material, readily folds up as illustrated in Fig. 4. Although cloth is preferred, any flexible material may be used, and where only limited use of the seat is desired, kraft paper, Waterproof parchment or the like may be utilized. If desired, the base panel. may be separate, and of other material, such as plywood or the like.

When the seat is unfolded as shown in Fig. 1, and a sitter sits on the base panel, the sides bulge or spread slightly and bring the rear panel snugly against the back of the sitter, and the support rods cooperate to keep the rear panel taut, whereby a yielding but firm back support results.

When the seat is made of tough material, such as paper or parchment, the blank 32 may be substantially rectangular in shape, as the back will be adequately supported. The strap I6 is preferably made of the same length as the upper edge 28 of the rear panel, to provide additional support for the back.

Although I have disclosed a specific embodiment of my invention, it is obvious that changes in the size, shape, and material of the parts may be made to suit different requirements for portable seats, without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A portable foldableseat, comprising a generally trapezoidal base panel, a generally trapezoidal rear panel of larger size than the base panel, sides of generally triangular form, said base and rear panels having their shorter sides confronting each other, said sides having a triangular central overlap, the rear edge of the base panel being secured to the lower edge of the rear panel, and the sides being respectively se-' cured to the side edges of the rear panel and the base panel, said base panel, rear panel and said sides being of flexible material, and resilient support bars reinforcing the side edges of the rear panel and the base panel, said rear panel and base panel being at an angle less than 90 degrees, and said sides bulging outwardly when the seat is unfolded, whereby a snug comfortable fit is given across the back of an occupant. I

2. A portable foldable seat, comprising a generally trapezoidal base panel, a generally trapezoidal rear panel of larger size than the base panel, sides of generally triangular form, said base and rear panels having their shorter sides confronting each other, said sides having a triangular central take-up, the rear edge of the base panel being secured to the lower edge of the rear panel, and the sides being respectively secured to the side edges of the rear panel and the base panel, said base paneLrear panel and said sides being of flexible mateiia'Land resilient support bars reinforcing the side edges of the rear panel and the base panel, said rear panel and base panel being at an angle less than 90 degrees, and

said sides bulging outwardly when the seat is unfolded, whereby'a snug comfortable fit is given 7 across the back of an occupant.

LAURETTA CRAIG-WALLACE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name 1 Date 1,140,997 Minehart May 25, 1915 1,831,428 Sherman Nov. 10, 1931 2,044,717 McElmoyl June 16, 1936 2,180,426 Milligan Nov. 21, 1939 

